The Ballad of Firebrand and Olivine
by paleowriter
Summary: A Spike/Rarity oneshot. Spike recalls a bedtime story told to him by Princess Celestia long ago...a story about a dragon and a pony falling in love...


Hi everyone! I'm back with a Spike/Rarity one-shot. It's not necessarily related to my other fics (you don't need to read the others to read this one). Inspiration just struck a few days ago, and I had to take a break from my "real" writing and type this little sap-story out. Enjoy!

* * *

**The Ballad of Firebrand and Olivine**

Spike watched out the library window as Rarity walked away, a few stray snowflakes fluttering around her fluffy blue coat. A long shadow trailed behind her on the snow. The sun set below the horizon, and Spike sighed.

Rarity had come by earlier to drop off a new winter scarf for Twilight. She said she'd made one for all her friends: Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy.

But not him.

She had nothing for him.

Spike had to just stand there awkwardly for nineteen whole minutes (he'd been counting), as Twilight and Rarity chit-chatted and giggled about the latest town gossip. Twilight had tried on the scarf, admiring its winter constellation motif, while Spike was ignored yet again by the glamorous unicorn who held his heart in her hooves.

Rarity disappeared back into the town, and Spike left the window, ignoring the temptation to write his and her initials in the little heart he had drawn on the cold glass. He shuffled into the main library and sat down by the fireplace. Twilight was in the other room, working on her studies. Spike was alone.

He watched the fire flicker. An ember crackled and popped. Spike blew a small flame of his own into the fireplace, keeping the fire burning strong to warm their home. Legend held that dragons had a kinship with fire, long ago. Maybe they still did. He wouldn't know. He didn't know much about dragons at all.

_"Princess, you must know tons of stories about dragons! You've been around for forever!"_

_ "Oh, Spike…" Princess Celestia laughed lightly. "I haven't been around for _forever. _Besides, ponies and dragons never seem to have much to do with each other. Even long ago it was rare for there to be much interaction between our two cultures, and what interaction there was wasn't what you'd call…pleasant."_

_ Spike slumped his shoulders, pulling his bed sheet up over himself. "Oh. Alright then."_

_ The princess sat by his bed, silent for several moments. Spike wondered when she was going to leave so he could go to sleep. Maybe then he could dream about the dragons._

_ "But…I do know one story about a dragon."_

_ Spike threw his bed sheet off his head. "You do?" he asked, bouncing in place. _

_ "Yes," Princess Celestia replied. "It's not the happiest of stories, though. Maybe I should save it for when you're older."_

_ "Oh no!" Spike begged. "Please! I'm plenty old enough now, Princess! I want to hear the story!"  
The Princess smiled gently. "Very well, Spike."_

Spike stared into the fire. The memory had surfaced completely unbidden. Spike had carried the story in his soul for years now. After meeting Rarity, he'd squashed the memory away, refusing to think about it. He couldn't. He and Rarity…they weren't…well…they couldn't…

But the floodgate was open now, and the words from years prior poured back into Spike's mind in one, huge emotional rush.

_"The story is called The Ballad of Firebrand and Olivine," Princess Celestia said. "And it's a little bit long, so I hope you're comfortable." There was a twinkle in her eye, but Spike couldn't help but notice something sad behind the twinkle. _

_ He wondered just what he was getting himself into as he twisted his sheets and blankets around into a makeshift nest. "I'm comfortable," he said. "You can start now." His young heart fluttered in his chest. A real dragon story. He was finally going to hear a real dragon story!  
_

_"Alright," the princess replied. "Here we go then._

_...  
_

_ Once was a dragon called Firebrand._

_ He wandered the country_

_ Looking to claim a bit of land_

_ As his territory._

_ When one day he came upon a _

_ Clearing of grass and flowers_

_ And a young unicorn by_

_ The still waters of a pond._

_ Her mane was olive and her eyes_

_ Ruddy red as lakebed clay_

_ A flame she had as her mark, and _

_ Truly did it glow bright_

_ Along her pale green body, which_

_ Was turned away from him. _

_ Firebrand had never seen a pony_

_ So close before, and he_

_ Was compelled to take a closer_

_ Look. But as he stepped one_

_ Scaly foot forward, the pony_

_ Turned about. As soon as_

_ She laid eyes upon Firebrand,_

_ She screamed, for dragons were said_

_ To be evil and to destroy_

_ Villages and burn forests._

_ Firebrand was startled. 'Do not yell,_

_ Little pony,' he said. _

_ 'I mean no harm. I have never_

_ Met a pony before._

_ May I ask your name?' The mare, who_

_ Had been about to run,_

_ Steadied her hooves bravely. 'My name?' _

_She asked, her voice a-flutter._

_ 'Yes,' said the dragon. 'I am called_

_ Firebrand, and I come to_

_ Find a territory. Is this _

_ Land already taken?'_

_ 'Yes,' replied the mare. 'My village _

_ is in this valley. We_

_ Have lived here for generations, _

_And it is no place for _

_Dragons'. The mare held her head high._

_ 'Very well,' Firebrand answered._

_ 'I will leave then. But as I offered _

_ You my name, I do ask_

_ Now for yours in return. It is _

_ Dragon custom,' he said._

_ 'Is it?' asked the mare. 'I had no_

_ Idea. How very_

_ Interesting! Do you dragons _

_have many such customs?' _

'_Indeed, we have a long, proud, and _

_Noble heritage,'_

_Said Firebrand. The mare took a step_

_Forward. 'How wonderful,'_

_She said. 'I have a proposal_

_For you if that is the_

_Case. All day long I must practice _

_My mineral magic_

_All alone. It is dull work, but_

_Would be livened by some_

_Stories from exotic lands and_

_Creatures.' The mare stepped_

_Forward once more. 'If you provide _

_Such tales, then as payment_

_I shall be happy to reveal_

_To you my name,' she said._

_Firebrand could not refuse the offer,_

_And agreed without a_

_Second thought. He spoke to her of_

_His culture and the ways _

_Of dragons. He explained to her_

_The Great Migration that_

_All dragons take part in when the_

_Right season comes about._

_He told her of their lava ritual_

_And first flight ceremony,_

_And the mare was entranced._

_As the day drew to a _

_Close, she made a request. 'Could you_

_Perhaps come again, dear_

_Dragon?' she asked. 'If I do, will_

_You tell me your name?' the_

_Dragon countered in return. 'Yes,_

_I promise,' she replied._

'_Then I shall come,' Firebrand said. And _

_So he did. Day after_

_Day he came, to regale the young_

_Mare with stories and tales._

_And day after day she promised _

_Her name in return. But_

_As days wore on, Firebrand found that_

_Her name mattered less and_

_Less to him. He did not come for _

_Her name. He came for her._

_And one sun-filled day, he told her_

_So. That day, the mare's mane_

_Glittered in the light as it oft'_

_Did. But this time her eyes_

_Glittered more. 'Does this mean that you_

_Care for me, as I have_

_Come to care for you?' she asked. _

_In all his journeys through _

_Volcanic mountains, hot spring vales_

_And scorching desert lands, _

_Firebrand had never felt such a_

_Warmth fill his soul. He could_

_Scarce but nod in return. As if_

_Her declaration was_

_Not enough, the mare motioned for_

_Firebrand to come closer. _

_She leaned in towards his ear, and_

_Whispered softly, 'My name_

_Is Olivine.' At this, Firebrand,_

_Despite his thick dragon _

_Hide, almost melted away. They_

_Shared a lover's kiss, but_

_Then had to part ways for the night. _

_The next day, Firebrand_

_Returned to the meadow at first _

_Light. He waited for his _

_Mare to arrive, even more in_

_Love with her than the day_

_Before. But as the sun rose higher, _

_Olivine did not come. _

_He waited all morning, after-_

_Noon, and evening. But she_

_Did not set one hoof in the meadow. _

'_Olivine?' he called out,_

_Just as the stars began to shine._

'_Now!' cried a voice from the _

_Brush. And Firebrand was ambushed from all_

_Directions. They came with_

_Spears, bows, and rocks. Firebrand reared up_

_To face his attackers. _

'_What is this? Where is Olivine?_

_What have you done with her?'_

_He demanded. The ponies who _

_Gathered 'round him were stunned._

'_What have we done to Olivine?_

_Nothing more than to save_

_Her from the clutches of a wild,_

_Vile beast like you!' said a_

_Bold stallion, thrusting a spear t'wards_

_Firebrand. The dragon ducked,_

_And the spear flew over his shoulder._

'_I am no beast! She does _

_Not need to be saved from me,' said_

_Firebrand. 'Please tell me what_

_Has become of her,' he pleaded._

_The bold stallion readied_

_Another spear. 'She is my betrothed. _

_And you have seduced her_

_From me, you horrid monster! You _

_Deserve nothing less than_

_A painful death!' The stallion tossed _

_His spear, and Firebrand reared_

_Up for a second time. 'Your betrothed?_

_But we are in love! I_

_Do not understand – ' The stallion _

_Cut him off with a sneer. _

'_A pony in love with a dragon? _

_Impossible. You wish _

_To eat her heart over fiery _

_Rock, you devil-beast! Now_

_You shall pay the price for such_

_Wickedness. Attack him!'_

_The stallion ordered. But just as _

_He shouted, a cry came _

_Over the hilltop. 'Wait! Please wait!'_

_It was Olivine, come_

_To defend her beloved from_

_Murder. 'You cannot kill_

_Him! For I love him more than I _

_Love the crystals in the_

_Stone and the colors in the flowers._

_Please spare him!' Olivine_

_Begged, racing towards the meadow. _

_The stallion's eyes were filled _

_With hate, rage, and jealousy._

_He spun and slung his spear_

_At Olivine. She fell, lifeless._

'_OLIVINE!' Firebrand roared._

_The stallion turned back, his head high. _

'_She was bewitched, and could _

_Not be saved! It is the fault of _

_the monster! Kill him!" the _

_stallion ordered. Before they had _

_A chance, Firebrand opened _

_His fanged mouth and set the meadow _

_Afire. Hours passed before_

_The meadow cooled to a_

_Smolder. Once deemed safe, the_

_Ponies of the nearby town came_

_To check for survivors. _

_They found a scarce few. Among them _

_Was a young colt who had _

_Followed the stallion in his call _

_To arms. The colt explained _

_How he had seen Firebrand escape_

_The inferno, and how _

_The remaining ponies had tried _

_To search for Olivine,_

_But could not find her anywhere. _

_It seemed that the mare's_

_Body had disappeared into_

_The flames, never to be_

_Seen again…except for in a _

_Dragon's long memory. _

_...  
_

_The end."_

"_So she ran off with him!" Spike exclaimed, clutching his blanket to his chest. "Right? She couldn't have really died, could she? They never found her!"_

_Princess Celestia shook her head slowly. "I don't know, Spike. I suppose no one really does. Most accept that she perished either by the spear, or by the fire – "_

"_Or Firebrand grabbed her and ran off with her and saved her life!" Spike leapt to his little feet, bouncing slightly on the mattress springs. "He had to! He loved her!"_

_Princess Celestia used her magic to pull Spike's blanket back over him, sitting him back down and tucking him in tight. "As I said, I don't know what happened, Spike. It was a long time ago, and is now just a legend."_

"_But –"_

"_But," the Princess gave him a wink. "I think I like your version of the ending better than any I've heard before."_

Spike found himself absent-mindedly browsing Twilight's bookshelves. He'd always wondered if there'd been more to the ballad than the Princess had told him. Other versions, perhaps more detailed ones, must exist. And with her library filled to the brim, Twilight just _had _to have a copy of the story somewhere…maybe even a longer version…

"Ah-hah!" Spike pulled a book off the shelf in triumph. "The Ballad of Firebrand and Olivine!"

He quickly went back to the fireside to read. The book was on the older side with yellowing pages and fancy designs all over the cover. It also was really short. It didn't take him long to finish at all and when he did, he was just as disappointed as ever, despite this version having full illustrations.

"Nothing new," he mumbled to himself. "Nothing more." He set the book down on the rug besides him, and wrapped his arms around his knees.

_Stupid story. It's like the opposite of inspiring. Sure, a dragon and a pony fell in love, but one of them probably died because of it! I guess times have changed since then…but still…it still seems so impossible for a dragon like me and a pony like Rarity to ever…well…Even if Ponyville was okay with it, Rarity…well…_

Spike scrunched his knees even closer to his chest. At least Firebrand knew Olivine cared. Even though their story was technically a tragedy, Spike couldn't help but feel…jealous.

He watched the flames dance in front of him, his eyes shimmering. _Will I ever feel the warmth Firebrand felt? I can't imagine any of our friends chasing me and Rarity apart. It'd work out just fine nowadays. _He clenched his fists. _Ponyfeathers, why can't Rarity see me like Olivine saw Firebrand? _

After several more minutes of fuming, Spike eventually relaxed his fists and stretched out his legs. It was just a story. Just a legend. Maybe it never even happened. Maybe there really never was a love story between a unicorn and a dragon.

Spike took one last forlorn look at the book on the rug, then laid down on his side, curling up on the floor. _I just…I wish…_

* * *

"Shhh," Twilight held a hoof to her lips, jerking her head towards the fireplace. Rarity craned her neck and saw Spike asleep on the rug next to a thin old book. "He's been out like a light for about an hour now," Twilight explained quietly. "Try not to wake him, okay?"

Rarity nodded, forcing her eyes back to Twilight. "Of course. I'm sorry to be a bother. I simply cannot believe I managed to forget my bag at your place. Imagine my surprise when I showed up at Sweet Apple Acres, empty-hoofed!"

Twilight used her magic to carry Rarity's bag over to her. "Well here you go. Now Applejack can have her new scarf, too. Goodness knows she'll need it with another snowstorm scheduled for next week," Twilight said wryly. "But speaking of, before you head out into the cold again, would you like some tea?"

"Oh, that would be lovely," Rarity replied, smiling.

"Hold on, then, and I'll get you a cup." Twilight turned and headed into another room in the library. Rarity was left standing by the door, alone.

The firelight bounced shadows along the wall, and Spike's soft snoring filled the room. Rarity glanced back over at the dragon, cocking her head to one side. The little book by his feet looked to be covered in fanciful golden hearts. Just what _was_ he reading?

Rarity bit her lower lip, and glanced back at the door Twilight had disappeared through. Once confident the purple mare was not going to come back in the next moment or two, Rarity trotted over softly to Spike's side, and magicked the book up into the air to take a closer look.

"The Ballad of Firebrand and Olivine…" she whispered. The gold hearts shimmered in the firelight, and Rarity's front hooves danced a little. "Oh my, is this a romance? I do adore a good love story!"

She opened the book up to begin reading. But when she saw the first illustration, her eyes flew wide open and she nearly dropped the book on the floor. The first two pages had one large drawing across them: a drawing of a dragon and a mare, gazing longingly at each other across the fold of the book.

Rarity looked back down at Spike and sucked in a breath.

"Oh Spike…" she said, softly.

Before she could say anything else, she heard hoofsteps coming from the kitchen. Rarity stepped back away from Spike, her eyes darting around the room, trying to land on anything but the sleeping dragon. They swept past the bookshelves, past Twilight's new scarf sitting on her desk, and back towards the kitchen door just in time to see Twilight push it open.

Hastily, Rarity shoved Spike's book in her bag with the scarves.

"Everything okay in here?" Twilight asked, two cups of tea hovering next to her.

"Mm-hmm." Rarity nodded in reply, casually wandering away from the dragon by the fireplace.

"Glad to hear it," Twilight said brightly. She offered Rarity a tea cup, which the she took and sipped on politely. Keeping her eyes away from Spike was nothing less than an Ursa Major-sized challenge.

No matter how well she convinced Twilight, everything was not okay. Rarity knew it, and she knew Spike did, too.

Applejack's scarf would have to wait, as would everypony else's. After finishing her tea the library, Rarity was going to go straight home to read that book.

* * *

Spike sleepily blinked his eyes open. Sunlight shone on his face through the window across the room, extra bright because of all the snow. A fireplace with a dying pile of cinders greeted him, and Spike stared at it, transfixed.

_Where am I? What - ? _

Then he remembered. He'd fallen asleep by the fire last night. And now the fire was almost out. _Thanks to your forgetfulness_, Spike chided himself.

But if the fire was nearly out, why wasn't he a shivering mess?

Spike patted his side with one arm, feeling around as he registered an unfamiliar weight over him. He was covered with something.

_Twilight must've brought me a blanket, _Spike deduced, stretching lazily and sitting up. But once he sat up, he realized it wasn't a blanket at all.

Spike's mouth dropped open when he saw what had been keeping him warm.

Covering him was a long, folded scarf. And on it was a series of delicate golden hearts, sewn between olive green meadow grass and gentle red flames.

The end.

_"Princess…can't you just say it?"_

_ "You really need me to?"_

_ "Yes! I can't sleep now. That story was too sad."_

_ "Alright, fine then," Princess Celestia smiled down at the dragon. "You ready?"_

_ "Yes!"  
The Princess blew out his nightstand candle. "And they lived happily ever after. Goodnight, Spike."_

_ "Good night, Princess."_

_ Princess Celestia walked away, quietly shutting the little dragon's bedroom door._

* * *

My "ballad" format got kind of messed up by ff's editor, so I apologize that it isn't set out as "prettily" as a ballad should be. Oh well. Should format correctly on fimfiction I hope.

Also, if you're wondering, I can't predict when I'll upload any other stories, but I do fully intend on continuing to contribute to the fandom, so be on the lookout! Reviews, of course, are always encouraging. Thanks for reading!


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